This invention relates to an article grouping and synchronizing apparatus for wrapping or boxing machines, and more particularly it relates to the problem of receiving articles that are delivered irregularly on a delivery conveyor belt and transferring them synchronously to a wrapping or boxing machine.
It is known to solve the above problem by means of one or more position corrector belts placed between the supply conveyor belt and the conveyor belt that feeds the machine, with motor means that are controlled to accelerate or slow down the corrector belt as required, so that a uniform and synchronous flow of articles is obtained at the output.
Such prior systems are tailored to the requirements of the wrapping machine that must be served, such as its throughput, number of grouped articles, etc., as well as to the articles being handled, such as length of each article, etc. Any change of such parameters requires that the adjustment or configuration of the system be changed as well.
The main object of the invention is therefore to provide an article synchronizing apparatus for wrapping or boxing machines, having a high degree of operating flexibility with respect to prior systems of this type, and which more particularly is capable of working with a wide range of article sizes and of operative throughput of the downstream machine, and with variable groups of articles, with automatic adjustment to changes in the parameters.